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Topic: new brewer with little to no fermentation (Read 839 times)

Here's the story, brewed my first batch last Sunday 6/27. Some missteps were taken I was just so damn excited about my beer. I dont think I did the best job pitching my yeast. That night it seemed all was well the airlock bubbled and gurgled. By the next day the airlock was pretty quite and now 7/1 (3days and a night) nothing is going happening. I have read/heard of stalled fermentation, could this be stalled or is this batch dead and ruined? I haven't measured the SG since pitching the yeast and was going to wait at least a week (7/4) before taking samples. I am tempted to get a second carboy and begin another batch ASAP but if the first batch does succeed I'll have nowhere to store all the beer. Thats a phrase I thought I would never use "too much beer". Thanks bill

Yes more info and a gravity reading. You could be on target depending...

My last batch fermented out in 30 hours. I was a bit shocked. But a gravity reading told me no lies. Despite the bulk of fermentation having occured it'll still sit for a total of seven days just to clean everything up.

Logged

The first principle is that you must not fool yourself, and you are the easiest person to fool. -Richard P. Feynman

I just caved in and checked my gravity and the hydrometer sank like a rock to the bottom. As of now my beer is on par with water at 1.002 gravity with an expected gravity of 1.044. I used a dry yeast Danstar Nottingham Ale Yeast and pitched at 68F and fermenting at 66-72F. I used this kit from northern brewer http://www.northernbrewer.com/brewing/recipe-kits/extract-kits/extract-ale-kits/nut-brown-ale-extract-kit.htmlI did kind of pitch twice: I forgot to aerate the wort and pitched about half my yeast then shook up the carboy and added what was left.

A couple things I would suggest: first, calibrate your hydrometer in water and see if it reads 1.000.. Tap water will work (distilled water is most accurate). The little piece of paper sometimes slides.

Second, when you say the beer fermented at 66-72, are talking actual fermentation temp? Or or is this the ambient temp of the room you are fermenting in? Because fermentation is exothermic and will generate heat as much as 6-8 degrees over ambient.

Sounds like you are on your way to making your first batch of beer. Congratulations and welcome to the obsession.